Wow, a four-person bunk bed! This couple’s clever idea created more space in their one-bedroom apartment

Otso, how did you come up with the idea for this amazing bunk bed project?

We have four children in total, and our one-bedroom apartment has limited space. Where the bunk beds stand now, there used to be a built-in closet in poor condition that needed replacing anyway. The idea took shape when we started thinking about making a permanent custom solution in place of the closet.

Here’s what the space looked like before building the bed:

Given its poor condition, the closet was going to be replaced one way or another.

How did the construction progress?

I began by measuring the room, then sketched a bunk bed design using Ikea’s 3D software. I decided to build on top of Ikea’s standard kitchen cabinets because they matched the room’s dimensions well and were affordable. For the bunk bed’s headboards and partitions, I used the made-to-order sliding doors, made for the original closet, that were only four years old and still in good shape. I bought the bed bases from a furniture store and the frames from a hardware store. The ladders and lattices were installed by a carpenter—other than that, I built the bed myself.

Each child has their own set of drawers in the bunk bed, and the design also provides storage space for adults. “We’re planning to add shelves to the beds because the kids love taking their books and other items up there. We’d also like to install reading lights for them,” Otso says.

How long did the project take in total?

It took a few weeks altogether. I spent about two to three weeks building, then the carpenter worked on it for another week. The children stayed in the room the whole time, so we had to re-open and close the work site daily and of course clean up after every session.

The children stayed in the room the whole time, so a lot of cleaning had to be done.

The outside is made of knot-free oak, and the frames are knot-free pine. The Ikea cabinets are veneer.

Are you pleased with the final result?

I’m really happy with it: it looks nice, and now we feel like we could want to live in our home for a long time. It’s also easy to convert the design into, for example, loft beds or desks when it's time to sell the apartment later on. Our neighborhood’s price per square meter is over 6,000 euros, and this bunk bed project has added several square meters of living space in our apartment.

Otso and Raisa added small wooden legs under the drawers, which makes the overall look of the bed lighter and makes it feel less like kitchen cabinets.

The couple’s nine-year-olds sleep in the top bunks, and the five-year-olds sleep in the bottom bunks. “The partitions and the form of the bunk beds have worked really well. The kids can’t peek into each other’s beds, making them feel like semi-private spaces,” Otso says.

The whole project cost about 5,000 euros. The kitchen cabinets and wood materials came to a couple thousand, and the carpentry work was over 3,000 euros.

How do the children like the beds?

They were really excited to see the bunk beds finished. Every week, they would ask if the project was nearly done, and for them it felt like nothing had happened, no matter how much we worked on it. They’re very happy with how it turned out, and it’s been a great setup for them, especially at this age as they love playing together.

Raisa read Harry Potter to the children for a bedtime story in the newly completed beds, just in time for Christmas. The Advent calendar was hung on the bed’s slats, which happened to add up to exactly 24.

Your project got a lot of love on social media. How does that feel?

Raisa made a reel about the beds on Instagram, and it got about half a million views. It was fun to see how much interest our project sparked! I think it's important to challenge the assumption that children always need their own rooms, and I think built-in beds might become more popular. Compared to ordinary bunk beds, they make much more efficient use of space.

You can follow Otso and Raisa’s life on Instagram at @otsoalasko & @maisarattila